I think the main problem is, while the main live-action producing, writing, and directing categories are series, the animation category is for a single program – remember, in the 20 years between The Flintstones and The Simpsons, pretty much all prime-time animation was for single programs. If the writers and directors of the animated Community episode were allowed to enter the episode in the Comedy Series Writing and Directing category, then I could see the animators’ point, but the episode isn’t entered (and I don’t think it’s allowed to be) in either category.

Then again, if animation is based on “single episodes,” then why not allow each episode of an animated series to be submitted for the animated program Emmy, rather than just one per series?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the year that Family Guy was nominated for Best Comedy Series, it was ineligible to compete in the Animated Program Emmy categories, correct? If that is the case, then the rules should be enforced. You either compete in live-action or animation, but not in both.

EDIT: Just read the article, and I actually have a better understanding of the situation. I see no problem with Community competing here, so long as the Emmys change the rules and let all animated series compete for their own Writing and Directing categories, or be included in the eligibility pool for the already-existing Comedy Writing and Comedy Directing races.

Correct me if I’m wrong, but the year that Family Guy was nominated for Best Comedy Series, it was ineligible to compete in the Animated Program Emmy categories, correct?

Yes and no. The first year FG was entered as a comedy series instead of an animated program, in 2008, the producers entered the first Star Wars parody episode, which was an hour long, in the “one hour or longer animated program” category (and it was nominated). Apparently, since it was considered a “special,” it was allowed to be entered separately.

Note that the FG episode lost to the 90-minute South Park “Imaginationland” episode, which had its own controversy; when it first aired, it aired as three 30-minute episodes instead of a single 90-minute program. (It did air as a 90-minute program before the end of that year’s eligibility period.)

If the Emmy’s are going to allow for community to enter in the animated category, then they need to change the title of the category to Outstanding Single Animated Episode….or something like that. Because Community is not an animated series or program, so it’s allowance to be entered here is confusing and not fair to animation creators.

I agree with the animators. Community shouldn’t be allowed to enter that episode into the Animated category. It makes no sense and I agree that if the category was a Single Animated Episode type of thing, then whatever, submit there, but in Animated Series or Program, no because Community is not that show, it shouldn’t be allowed to submit there.

The case with Family Guy getting in for Comedy Series and Animated Special because of the Star Wars parody is completely logical and fair. It had the makings of a true special and was treated as such from day one, it deserved to be nominated and it made sense for it to be nominated in that category even though the show was competing somewhere else.

And I really don’t understand why these shows aren’t allowed into the Comedy Series writing and directing category or have their own categories for Animated Programs. Some of these shows are writing incredibly hilarious episodes and nobody recognizes them.

Animated shows should be allowed to compete in the comedy writing and directing categories (and when the day and shows come, drama writing and directing). That has the potential to change the entire field of competition.

I’ve never understood why animation’s writers and directors are shut out of the competition. It feels like a holdover rule from another era. No wonder their contingent is so irked. And for the Academy to shrug and say, well, the “Community” guys found a loophole, sorry, has to be especially grating.

I’m truly stunned sometimes by the number of organizations who still tend to ignore the writing in animation.

Look at the Film WGA Awards, where animated films are ineligible. Why? Did they write themselves? It is especially odd, considering that this same organization created a separate category for animated television.

But the Emmys? I could understand completely if animated series already had their own writing and directing categories, and the voters did not want to enable them to double-dip, as it were, in the Comedy/Drama races. But last time I checked, animated series do not have their own writing fields, meaning that the teleplays for animated shows are … what? Non-existent? I don’t get it.

Look at the Film WGA Awards, where animated films are ineligible. Why? Did they write themselves? It is especially odd, considering that this same organization created a separate category for animated television.

I’ve read that the WGA doesn’t cover writing in animated feature films. So it’s not a slight on feature animation. They just don’t have a category because they don’t have jurisdiction.